Feud Between Tycoon and Leader: Trump and Musk Alliance Faces Tumultuous Turn
A Blazing Row Erupts Between Trump and Musk
Elon Musk and ex-President Donald Trump are locked in a heated disagreement, with the feud gradually intensifying over Trump's controversial budget bill and accusations linked to the Jeffrey Epstein case.
Musk's Displeasure with Trump's Budget Bill
Musk publicly criticized Trump's tax and budget bill, currently under Senate consideration, labeling the bill as a "disgusting abomination." Trump initially expressed "disappointment" with Musk's public criticism. Later, Trump aired his suspicions that Musk's hostility stems from the budget bill's scrapping of electric vehicle tax credits, which, as reported by DW.COM, could potentially harm Tesla.
Trump's Retaliatory Threats
In response to Musk's critique, Trump hinted at terminating governmental subsidies and contracts for Musk's ventures, causing a 14% drop in Tesla's stocks [3].
Musk's Fiery Epstein Allegations
Accusing Trump of ties with the Epstein case, Musk tweeted, "@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public." Musk failed to provide concrete evidence to support his sweeping claim [2].
Though Trump has not explicitly addressed Musk's Epstein allegations, he countered with a threat to pull Musk's government contracts.
Major Crack in a Former Friendship
Earlier, Musk was a staunch supporter of Trump, even playing a role in Trump's governmental reform efforts and contributing heavily to his campaign [2][3]. Regrettably, their once supportive relationship has now crumbled into acrimony and recrimination.
Contextual Insights:- Elon Musk's criticism of Donald Trump's budget bill has been viewed as a significant setback for Trump, given Musk's past support for the president [2][3].- Trump's comment about cancelling Musk's government contracts led to a significant drop in Tesla's stocks—falling 14% on the day of their public exchange [3].- Musk initially supported Trump but has recently voiced his discontent with the budget bill, causing a rift between the two [2][3].- The Epstein case involves allegations of sex trafficking, and the Trump administration had previously pledged to disclose more files relating to the case. However, a limited release in February faced criticism for being insufficiently revealing [2].
In the midst of the ongoing conflict, Elon Musk lambasted Donald Trump's tax and budget bill, a move that was interpreted as a severe blow to the president given Musk's past support. Amidst the feud, Trump retaliated by hinting at the potential termination of governmental subsidies and contracts for Musk's ventures, a threat that significantly impacted Tesla's stocks. Meanwhile, Musk levied accused Trump of ties with the Jeffrey Epstein case, an allegation that Trump has yet to address explicitly.
